Triple locking, bi-hemispheric safety helmet

ABSTRACT

A safety helmet designed to protect the head of motorcyclists/bicyclists, athletes, soldiers, law enforcement, and/or heavy machinery operators due to impact/trauma and to provide emergency removal after an accident. The safety helmet comprises a shell defined by a right portion and a left portion, an outer surface and inner surface, and a front section and rear section. An opening at the front section allows the user to see outside of the shell, and a face shield, attached at opposing sides of the opening by a hinge, covers a substantial portion of the user&#39;s face. A plurality of securing mechanisms extends between the right portion and the left portion and holds the right portion and left portions in a separable manner. A resilient protective layer includes a top surface and a bottom surface for contacting with the inner surface of the shell and to fit over the head of the passenger.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates in general to safety helmets, and more particularly to a triple locking, bi-hemispheric safety helmet which provides a simple method of removal of the safety helmet from the head of a victim after an accident.

Motorcycles are inherently more dangerous than cars. Per km traveled, the number of deaths on motorcycles is about 14 times the number in cars. Motorcycles often have excessive performance capabilities, including rapid acceleration and high top speed. They are less stable than cars in emergency braking and less visible. Motorcyclists are more prone to crash injuries than car drivers because motorcycles are not enclosed, leaving the rider vulnerable to contact with the hard road surface. Therefore, wearing a helmet is important, as helmets are the principal countermeasure for reducing crash-related head injuries, the leading cause of death among unhelmeted riders.

The Michigan State Police claim that “Helmets decrease the severity of injury, the likelihood of death, and the overall cost of medical care. They are designed to cushion and protect riders' heads from the impact of a crash. Just like safety belts in cars, helmets can't provide total protection against head injury or death, but they do reduce the incidence of both.” (Cited from http://wmoon.wordpress.com)

When a victim has endured an accident, there is a high likelihood of sever neck and brain trauma. One primary concern of motorcycle riders is that of the removal of the safety helmet and not knowing if the victim has sustained this injury. The current method of removal the direct pulling-off of the helmet. This extreme measure results in additional disturbance to a potentially already damaged neck/brain, causing paralysis or even death to the victim.

There are several helmets designed to prevent traumatic brain injuries, during a crash. Conventional head gear requires a saw like device to cut the helmet off the head, or the helmet is simply pulled off the head. One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,283 to Kress on Oct. 31, 2000. The device is a multiple-piece removable helmet which can be disassembled on the wearer's head so that, in the event of a medical emergency, the front portion can be removed to afford access to the face of the wearer for administration of first aid and to facilitate the diagnosis of the extent of the injury. A neck brace can also be attached and the injured can be lifted out of the back portion of the helmet. The apparatus for attaching the removable halves includes, in various embodiments, screws, adjustable tension cables, buckles, and spring fingers on one half engaging in indentations in the other with the fingers being secured in place by screws.

A number of other safety helmets are known in the art which can be pulled off the head without using a tool. An example of such devices includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,513 issued to Kress which describes a protective helmet with an emergency removal feature. The protective helmet is a multi-piece helmet for protecting the head region of a wearer and providing emergency removal wherein the helmet shell is provided in separate front and rear portions along a seam. A securing mechanism extends between the helmet portions and holds them together in a releaseable manner. The securing mechanism is positioned on the interior surfaces of the helmet shell and finger access ports are provided in the helmet to allow finger access to the securing mechanism from the exterior surfaces of the helmet. This enables the securing mechanism to be finger manipulated to release the securing mechanism and completely separate the front helmet shell portion from the rear helmet shell portion without the requirement of a tool.

Another prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,564 issued to Sheridan on Jul. 16, 2002, discloses a two piece helmet with optional airbag that is split along a vertical axis between the sides of the helmet to ease removal in the event of an injury. A series of aligned orifices in the helmet portions are joined by a removable cable. The cable ends are attached to each other to secure the helmet portions or to each of the helmet portions. The cable is accessed through removable panels that may also be used to tension the cable. Alternate means for joining the helmet portions include a series of lateral exterior latches opened by the cable. The helmet liner has two overlapping portions to minimize noise and improve weather sealing. An optional inflatable air bag is fitted to a lower perimeter of the helmet. A proximity sensing system inflates the airbag when the vehicle is in motion and the helmet is displaced a certain distance from the vehicle.

Most of the devices have significant disadvantages. One of the above devices requires the use of a tool to gain access to the latching mechanisms. So, the people attending the injured person must always carry the required tool with them. This further complicates and extends the time for effecting helmet separation and removal as the tool must first be retrieved, if available. Moreover, due to the relative complexity of the assembly of some of the above devices, it is time-consuming to dismantle the entire helmet from the head of a victim after an accident. Some other devices require insertion of the finger through the finger access ports provided in the helmet shell to manipulate the securing means positioned on the interior surfaces of the helmet shell. This can perplex would-be rescuers and extend the time for effecting helmet separation and removal.

It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simple, safe apparatus for preventing injury to the head of a motorcycle passenger due to impact/trauma. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that can be dismantled from the head of a victim after an accident thereby providing a simple method of removal and preventing further movement of the head and neck. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a safety helmet having two hemisphere parts fastened at the center with latch-like locks and a removable face shield fastened to the sides of the helmet. Other objects of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the appended Summary, Description and Claims.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a safety helmet designed to protect a head of motorcycle/bicycle users, sports athletes, military troops, law enforcement, and/or heavy machinery operators due to impact/trauma and to provide emergency removal after an accident. The safety helmet comprises a shell defined by a right portion and a left portion, an outer surface and an inner surface, and a front portion and a rear portion. An opening at the front portion allows the passenger to see outside of the shell and a face shield is attached at opposing sides of the opening by a hinge to cover a substantial portion of the face of the passenger. The face shield can be detached by disengaging a clipping mechanism in the hinge. A plurality of securing mechanisms extends between the right portion and the left portion, and aligns the right portion with the left portion, and holds them together in a separable manner. The plurality of securing mechanisms may consist of latch-like locks and the locks may be three or more in number. A release mechanism included in the latch-like locks, which are unlatched using a plurality of clips on the release mechanism, prevents accidental unlocking.

Applications/uses for the present invention include (but are not limited to) the following:

Motorcycle helmets

Bicycle helmets

Racing automobile helmets

Airplane pilot helmets

Helicopter pilot helmets

Heavy machinery operator helmets

Law enforcement helmets (IE: S.W.A.T, riot gear, etc)

Sports helmets (IE: football, hockey, boxing, lacrosse, skiing, etc.)

A resilient protective layer lines the inner surface of the shell and includes a top surface and a bottom surface for contacting with the inner surface of the shell and to fit over the head of the passenger respectively. The safety helmet can be secured to the head of the passenger by a fastener. The fastener may be a chin strap located on the inner surface of the shell so as to allow the passenger to position the chin strap under his/her jaw.

The safety helmet can be dismantled by unlocking the plurality of securing mechanisms. When the plurality of clips disengages, the plurality of securing mechanisms is released and pulled back. Similarly, the face shield can be removed by unclipping the hinge. When the plurality of securing mechanisms have been unfastened and the face shield has been unclipped, the entire safety helmet can be dismantled from the head of a victim after an accident, thereby providing a simple method of removal and preventing further movement of the head and neck.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing description, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to just the embodiments disclosed, but that they are capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the description herein.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention, illustrating a safety helmet with a face shield in a closed position.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention, illustrating the safety helmet with a face shield in an open position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the present invention, illustrating the safety helmet dismantled into right and left portions and the face shield in the open position.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the present invention, illustrating the safety helmet in the dismantled position without the face shield and a plurality of securing mechanisms partially locked.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the present invention, illustrating the safety helmet dismantled into right and left portions keeping the plurality of securing mechanisms partially locked.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   10 . . . Safety helmet of the present invention     -   12 . . . A shell     -   14 . . . Right portion     -   16 . . . Left portion     -   18 . . . An outer surface     -   20 . . . A front section     -   22 . . . An opening at the front section     -   24 . . . A face shield     -   26, 28 . . . Opposing sides of the opening     -   30 . . . A hinge     -   32 . . . A plurality of securing mechanisms     -   34 . . . An inner surface     -   36 . . . A resilient protective layer     -   38 . . . A fastener

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of a safety helmet 10 of the present invention to protect a head of a motorcycle passenger due to impact/trauma and to provide emergency removal after an accident are generally indicated in FIGS. 1 through 6. Referring to FIG. 1, the safety helmet 10 comprises a shell 12 defined by a right portion 14 and a left portion 16, an outer surface 18 and an inner surface (not shown), and a front section 20 and a rear section (not shown). An opening at the front section 22 allows the passenger to see outside of the shell 12. A face shield 24 is detachably attached at opposing sides 26, 28 of the opening 22 by a hinge 30. A plurality of securing mechanisms 32 extends between the right portion 14 and the left portion 16.

The plurality of securing mechanisms 32 aligns the right portion 14 to the left portion 16 and holds the right portion 14 and the left portion 16 in a separable manner. As the right portion 14 and the left portion 16 can be separated, the safety helmet 10 provides a simple method of removal and prevents further movement of the head of the passenger after an accident. The plurality of securing mechanisms 32 may consist of latch-like locks and the locks may be three or more in number. A release mechanism (not shown) included in the latch-like locks prevents accidental unlocking. The latch like locks can be unlatched using a plurality of clips on the release mechanism (not shown).

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the safety helmet 10 of the present invention wherein the face shield 24 is in an open position. The face shield 24 can be detached by disengaging a clipping mechanism in the hinge 30. A resilient protective layer 36 lines the inner surface 34 of the shell 12 and includes a top surface (not shown) and a bottom surface (not shown) for contacting with the inner surface of the shell 12 and to fit over the head of the passenger respectively. The safety helmet 10 can be secured to the head of the passenger by a fastener 38. The fastener 38 may be a chin strap located on the inner surface (not shown) of the shell 12 so as to allow the passenger to position the chin strap under his/her jaw.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the safety helmet 10 of the present invention wherein the safety helmet 10 can be dismantled by unlocking the plurality of securing mechanisms 32. When the plurality of clips disengages, the plurality of securing mechanisms 32 is released and pulled back. Similarly the face shield 24 can be removed by unclipping the hinge 30. When the plurality of securing mechanisms 32 have been unfastened and the face shield 24 has been unclipped, the entire safety helmet 10 can be dismantled from the head of a victim after an accident thereby providing a simple method of removal and preventing further movement of the head and neck.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation. 

1. A safety helmet for protecting a head of a user and providing emergency removal, comprising: a shell defining a right portion and a left portion, an outer surface and an inner surface, and a front section and a rear section thereof; an opening at the front section allowing the user to see outside of the shell; a face shield detachably attached at opposing sides of the opening; a resilient protective layer having a top surface and a bottom surface; a plurality of securing mechanisms extending between the right portion and the left portion for joining the right portion and left portion; and a fastener for securing the safety helmet to the head of the user; whereby the safety helmet can be dismantled into right and left portions thereby providing a simple method of removal and preventing further movement of the head after an accident.
 2. The safety helmet of claim 1, wherein the shell is rigid in nature.
 3. The safety helmet of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the resilient protective layer contacts with the inner surface of the shell and the bottom surface of the resilient protective layer constructed and arranged to fit over the head of the user.
 4. The safety helmet of claim 1, wherein the plurality of securing mechanisms are latch-like locks.
 5. The safety helmet of claim 4, wherein there are at least 3 latch-like locks.
 6. The safety helmet of claim 4, wherein the latch-like locks contain a release mechanism to prevent accidental unlocking.
 7. The safety helmet of claim 6, wherein the release mechanism comprises a plurality of clips to release the latch like locks.
 8. The safety helmet of claim 1, wherein the face shield is attached at the sides of the opening by a hinge.
 9. The safety helmet of claim 8, wherein the hinge contains a clipping mechanism to facilitate the removal of the face shield.
 10. The safety helmet of claim 1, wherein the fastener is located on the inner surface of the shell.
 11. The safety helmet of claim 10, wherein the fastener is a chin strap. 